After a month of planning, on Saturday UNC alums Bryan Jones and Nicholas Becketti began a 170-mile-hike from the Atlantic Coast in Wilmington straight to Chapel Hill.

Their aim is to walk a trail similar to that of Hinton James, who hitchhiked his way to the University in 1795 to become UNC’s first enrolled student, according to Bryan Jones, graduate of the class of 2006.

Jones spoke to WCHL on Sunday, just one day and roughly 25 miles into their trek on US 421.

Their plan is to continue on to N.C. 55 and to arrive into town sometime between August 12 and August 15, finishing the trip on N.C. 54.

Jones said that everything about the walk,  from the August date to the planned route, are meant to be strictly symbolic of James’ original trek.

James actually arrived at UNC in the month of February and the trail he took is unknown even to historians.

Still, Jones and Becketti hope that their walk will inspire others to make a similar journey in the future and believe that it is symbolic of the greatness of Carolina.

Jones said he and other friends hope to make these walks an annual tradition, which would provide an opportunity for fund-raisers and a general show of school spirit.